Hello to everyone who has been following this blog for many years - I'm still blogging, I'm just moving over to https://www.claireheffer.com/blog - please continue to follow and let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been kind enough to visit over the years. May the lists continue...
Showing posts with label melissa mccarthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label melissa mccarthy. Show all posts

Sunday, 17 February 2019

FILM 1945: CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?


FILM 1945: CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

TRIVIA: Melissa McCarthy's husband, Ben Falcone, was attached to the project before she was. He recommended her for the lead when another actor backed out.

A pile of Lee Israel books ("Beyond the Magic", an unauthorized biography of Estée Lauder) are shown on sale at a bookstore for 75% off. Lauder was publishing her own memoirs and initially tried to pay Israel *not* to write her book, but she refused and rushed her book to publication. The autobiography was released in October 1985 and Israel's biography one month later. The book buying public chose to buy the Lauder autobiography rather than the Israel biography. Lee Israel later said she regretted not taking the money when it was first offered.

Although he portrays an alcoholic, Richard E. Grant is allergic to alcohol.

Julianne Moore was attached to this project during early development. She removed herself from the project due to creative differences.

Melissa McCarthy's first portrayal of real-life person.



Sunday, 2 December 2018

FILM 1887: THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS



FILM 1887: THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS

TRIVIA: Sesame Workshop sued the team behind the film for the tagline, "No sesame. All street," claiming that the film tarnishes their reputation. The suit was rejected on May 30, 2018. Soon after, STX issued a brief statement, "We fluffing love Sesame Street (1969) and we're obviously very pleased that the ruling reinforced what STX's intention was from the very beginning - to honor the heritage of The Jim Henson Company's previous award-winning creations while drawing a clear distinction between any Muppets or Sesame Street characters and the new world Brian Henson and team created. We believe we accomplished that with the very straightforward NO SESAME, ALL STREET tagline. We look forward to continued happytimes as we prepare to release Happytime Murders this summer." Some TV spots for the film started with "From the studio that was sued by Sesame Street..."

Officer Donny, the cop that Edwards says she "should have f***ed" when she had the chance, is played by Melissa McCarthy's real life husband, Ben Falcone.

Directed by Brian Henson, the son of Jim Henson who famously conceived The Muppet Show (1976) and the Muppets.

This is the first theatrical film Brian Henson has directed since Muppet Treasure Island(1996).


Friday, 13 July 2018

FILM 1802: GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL



FILM 1802: GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL

TRIVIA: Although Harold Ramis could not make a cameo like his costars from the original Ghostbusters due to his death in 2014, you can see a bust of Harold just outside of Erin's university office near the beginning of the film.

At one point Erin proclaims: "Books can't fly and neither can babies". Both happened in the original Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989).

The movie is dedicated to Harold Ramis, as mentioned in the final credits.

After Erin comes to Abby's lab and announces that she has been fired, Abby says, 'Unlike Columbia, this institute is 100% behind us.' This is a reference to Ghostbusters (1984), where Columbia University allowed its facilities to be used for filming as long as its name was never mentioned.

The role of Patty Tolan, played by Leslie Jones was originally written for Melissa McCarthyPaul Feig realized that Melissa McCarthy had played similar characters in his previous films, explaining "I wanted to unleash Leslie on the public in the same way we unleashed Melissa on the public in Bridesmaids (2011), with a very showy role."

At one point in the movie, Holtzmann says "they are heavier than you think" with regards to the proton packs. During the filming of the first two original Ghostbuster movies, the actors often complained about the weight of the proton packs.

When the Ghostbusters open the container with the ghost for Dr. Martin Heiss, he jokingly calls the ghost "Casper" in reference to the children's cartoon character "Casper, the friendly ghost". The creators of Ghostbusters (1984) were sued by the owners of the "Casper" properties for $50 million plus the destruction of the film prints. because their logo looked too similar to their character "Fatso", a member of "The Ghostly Trio". But in 1986 the case was ruled in favor of "Ghostbusters". Nevertheless the live-action adaptation of Casper (1995) featured a cameo of Dan Aykroyd as Ghostbuster Ray Stantz.

As of July 2016 this film holds the title for 'most disliked' trailer ever on YouTube.

Four of the cast members, Kristen WiigLeslie JonesKate McKinnon, and Cecily Stronghave been Saturday Night Live (1975) cast members. At the time of release, Melissa McCarthy had also hosted SNL four times. Of the original cast, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd were also SNL stars, while Harold Ramis was a writer for the Canadian sketch show SCTV (1976), co-starring Rick Moranis.

CAMEODaniel Ramis: son of Harold Ramis has a small role as a Metal Head outside the concert Rowan attends.

DIRECTOR CAMEOPaul Feig: the voice on the other end of the walkie talkie that tells Rowan to go clean the bathrooms.

Thursday, 9 March 2017



FILM 1626: THE HEAT 

TRIVIA: The guy Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) makes out with in the bar scene is McCarthy's real-life husband, Ben Falcone.

The guy Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) makes out with in the bar scene is McCarthy's real-life husband, Ben Falcone.

Ashburn's yearbook is Sandra Bullock's actual 1982 yearbook from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. The art department digitally manipulated Bullock's picture to include glasses and braces, neither of which she had in her original high school senior portrait. They also took out all the signatures within the book.




Sunday, 2 October 2016



FILM 1567: THE BOSS

TRIVIA: Melissa McCarthy's real-life daughter Vivian Falcone plays 10-year old Michelle.

Michelle gives the finger to a building with "Renault" emblazoned across the side. It is the Trump Tower in Chicago. Since the start of the Donald Trump campaign for president, it has become popular to take selfies giving the finger to the "Trump" name across the side.